DAN PATRICK JOINS NBC's 'FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA'
Olbermann & Patrick Will Reunite on NBC 11 Years After "The Big Show"
NEW YORK - July 7, 2008 - Dan Patrick has been named a co-host of NBC's "Football Night in America" studio show, reuniting him with Keith Olbermann who together redefined sports highlights during their time together on ESPN's SportsCenter from 1992-97. Patrick, who will handle highlight duties with Olbermann, joins host Bob Costas and co-hosts Cris Collinsworth and Olbermann, along with analysts Jerome Bettis and Tiki Barber and reporter Peter King. The announcement was made today by Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics.
"We are proud to reunite one of the greatest teams in the history of sports broadcasting," Ebersol said. "Dan and Keith were more than successful together, they defined the way that sports highlights are now delivered. Their unique delivery has been sorely missed and now they'll be able to take their act to a primetime network television audience each Sunday night in the fall."
Olbermann said: "I'm delighted to be reunited with my tag team partner. I can't stop Dan Patrick from working with me again, I can only hope to contain him."
Olbermann and Patrick, while anchoring SportsCenter, became renowned for their inimitable style of coupling pop culture and sports - now a hallmark of the modern television sports reporter. While at ESPN, Olbermann and Patrick also wrote the critically acclaimed book "The Big Show" about their experiences working on SportsCenter. Costas wrote the foreword to the best-selling book.
"I think it's a great idea because it reunites one of the great combinations ever in TV sports," said Costas. "I've been in favor of the idea ever since NBC Sports reacquired the NFL but we haven't been able to work it out until now."
Patrick is currently a columnist at Sports Illustrated and contributes to SI.com. In October of 2007, Patrick began hosting a new version of The Dan Patrick Show, distributed nationally through The Content Factory and Premiere Radio Networks. The show airs from 9 a.m. to Noon ET and on XM-144 from 10 a.m. to Noon ET.
Patrick was an anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter from 1989 to 2006. While at ESPN, he also reported from major events including the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and Final Four. He hosted The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio from 1999 to August of 2007 and wrote for ESPN The Magazine's most popular page featuring interviews with athletes. In 2000, Patrick released a book entitled "Outtakes," based on the magazine column. Prior to working with ESPN, Patrick was a sports anchor and reporter for CNN from 1983 to 1989.
In 1998, he received a Sports Emmy Award in the Studio Host category. In 2000, Patrick was named the National Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, making him just the second cable commentator to receive the honor. He received a CableACE Award in 1997 for his work on SportsCenter.
Patrick received a B.A. in broadcasting from the University of Dayton.
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